Bute car club clocks up and cuts down the miles

Craig Borland

Bute’s car-sharing club is making a major contribution to cutting the island’s carbon footprint, according to statistics contained in a new report.

An audit of Bute’s energy use, compiled by Car Bute’s parent organisation Fyne Futures, states that five Car Bute members who gave up their own vehicles to join the organisation saw their combined annual mileage drop from around 17,500, at an average of 56 miles per gallon, to just 4,962 in 2012-13.

The audit also states that in the year to October 31, 2014, the club’s three fuel-efficient vehicles - a Renault Scenic and a Toyota Yaris hybrid on the island, and a Ford Fusion permanently based at Wemyss Bay - clocked up 12,726 miles between them.

The report, compiled by Fyne Futures’ general manager Reeni Kennedy-Boyle in conjunction with Community Energy Scotland, gives an overview of the island’s mix of energy use, its energy supply, levels of consumption and renewable initiatives to reduce the impact on the environment.

“Transport and waste are two areas which require a great deal more investigation,” Mrs Kennedy-Boyle states in the report’s executive summary.

“Waste represents an area of potential to reduce energy consumption and for energy generation. There is a great deal of opportunity for reduced consumption across the supply chain and introduction of electric vehicles.”

The report also states that Fyne Futures is working towards the installation of Bute’s first electric vehicle charging point and the addition of a fully-electric vehicle to the Car Bute fleet.